Symptoms of Trichotillomania

Just like the other psychological disorders, trichotillomania is highly manifested by a number of signs and symptoms. These symptoms are common to children, teenagers and adults, but they frequently seem to start around the time of puberty, from 12 to 13 years of age. Much to your surprise, the symptoms of trichotillomania may even start much younger or older than such age. An evidence to support this is when babies develop hair pulling activity as soon as they are capable of grasping their hair. Note that in this earliest onset, the act is highly considered as a psychiatric disorder.

Here are some of the common symptoms of tricho, as it is commonly called:

The urge of constant pulling or twisting of the hair.
Increasing sense of tension before the act is performed.
A sense of relief upon pulling.
A sense of gratification and pleasure after the act is executed.
Uneven appearance on the head.
Diffuse or bare patches due to hair loss.
Re-growth of hair on the bare spots.
Presence of self-injury behaviors.
Bowel obstruction development if they eat the strands they pull.
Denial of pulling out their hair.

Note that these symptoms of trichotillomania may lessen or disappear in later years, but there is a tendency for them to reappear during the stressful times.